September 12, 2000 - Governor Ventura made what he said was a welcome stop home in the Twin Cities Monday as part of his nationwide book tour. He signed copies of his newest book, "Do I Stand Alone?," for approximately an hour and a half and greeted a long line of admirers. Ventura says his latest book is about his political philosophy, while his first book, "Aint Got Time to Bleed," was more autobiographical. Five days into his book tour, the governor says he's been well received around the country. Minnesota Public Radio's Amy Radil reports.
September 12, 2000 - In Bemidji author Kevin McColley's new novel "The Other Side", a civil war era farm boy flees after killing a local bully in a fight . After drifting for a while, he ends up in Missouri with Quantrill's Raiders, a rag-tag guerilla army involved in brutal attacks against northern civilians. McColley says he'd wanted to write a Civil War novel for a long tine, but only felt he'd found a subject that hadn't been done to death when he ran across accounts of the raiders. His novel, which has now been nominated for a National Book Award, examines how ordinary people can do horrible things. He told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr he actually finished the book four years ago, but it has taken that long for him to get over the experience of dealing with the subject matter. Kevin McColley's novel "The Other Side" is published by Simon and Schuster. He will read from his book at St Olaf College in Northfield October 11th.
September 14, 2000 - At the turn of the 20th century barns were the farm's cathedral. The red or white structures were designed and personalized for each farm family. The massive barns held livestock and tools with a second floor for hay and the occasional barn dance. Towering wooden barns have given way to sleek metal sheds on many farms and now, barns have become the stuff of historic preservation. Mainstreet Radio's Cara Hetland reports.
September 15, 2000 - If you've missed any of St. Paul's Peanuts on Parade Snoopys this summer you can now see most of them in one place. The city is gathering 75 of the 101 statues along Wabasha street in downtown. We caught up with a few Snoopy spectators earlier today.
September 15, 2000 - The Cathedral of St. Paul has a new statue, a bronze image of Saint Paul the Apostle. Ironically, it's the first statue of Saint Paul ever for the 85-year-old cathedral that carries his name. When Archbishop John Ireland commissioned the cathedral in the early twentieth century, he said it was enough of a dedication to give it the saint's name. The new statue is fifteen feet high and weighs over one thousand pounds. It was sculpted by Glen Terry, an artist from East Bethel, Minnesota. Terry says he was interested in the project because of his devotion to the apostle.
September 15, 2000 - The annual Faith, Reason and World Affairs symposium opens today at Concordia College in Moorhead. The topic is spirituality and healing, among those participating are six Tibetian monks who are performing a ritualistic intricate sand painting they believe will provide healing to the entire planet. Minnesota Public Radios Dan Gunderson reports.
September 19, 2000 - The Children's theater is just one entertainment option in town that just got much cheaper, if you're willing to wait until the day of the performance to buy tickets. The Greater Minneapolis Convention and Visitor's association is now offering half price tickets through an outlet called T-C Tix. Thirty five diverse organizations, from Orchestra Hall to the Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to participate in the program. Greg Ortale is the President and C-E-O of the Greater Minneapolis Convention and Visitors Association. He says last-minute availability doesn't necessarily mean seats in the nose-bleed section:
September 20, 2000 - Famed classical pianist Fou Ts'ong visits the Minnesota Public Radio studios to play and to talk to MPR Classical Music Host Tom Crann. Fou Ts'ong discusses his touring program, entitled "Chinese Poetry, Western Music," and the connection between music and words in his work.
September 22, 2000 - If you've ever wondered what artwork hides in private collections in the Twin Cities, now's your chance to find out. Nearly 200 pieces of art from local collections will be on display in an exhibit opening at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis this weekend. The show is the result of months of searching by a team of Walker researchers, who asked collectors to temporarily share the contents of their living rooms. They found everything from Picassos and Lichtensteins to interesting works by lesser known artists. As the last pictures were going up, Curator Joan Rothfuss (ROTH fuss) told me about how a collection can tell us about its owner.
September 22, 2000 - MPR’s Laura McCallum interviews Winona LaDuke, vice-presential candidate for Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader. LaDuke discusses the Green Party platform and local support in Minnesota.